What Communication Standards Must a Strata Manager Meet?
Last Updated: 2 November 2026
Quick Summary
Strata manager communication standards in Victoria are not set out in a single statute; they emerge from the Owners Corporations Act 2006 (Vic), the manager’s contract, and expectations published by Strata Community Association Victoria. The Act requires managers to act honestly, exercise due care and skill, and keep proper records, while Consumer Affairs Victoria publishes plain-English guidance on manager responsibilities. Communication standards are about whether the manager gives the committee enough usable information, at the right time, to make lawful decisions.
- Check the management agreement first, as it often sets service commitments on response times, reporting and meeting attendance.
- There is no single legislated response time, so benchmarks are best set in the management agreement.
- Set a stated first-response period for routine matters and prompt acknowledgement of urgent safety issues.
- Include a clear after-hours escalation path and test it once before you sign.
- Review the manager against the contract in writing each year to judge service quality.
Table of Contents
- What Victorian Communication Standards Apply to a Strata Manager?
- Owners Corporation Manager Responsibilities Victoria: Duties You Can Hold Them To
- Owners Corporation Manager Response Times and Service Benchmarks
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Victorian Communication Standards Apply to a Strata Manager?
Strata manager communication standards in Victoria are not set out in a single statute. They emerge from the Owners Corporations Act 2006 (Vic), the manager’s contract, and expectations published by Strata Community Association Victoria. The legislation governing owners corporations in Victoria requires managers to act honestly, exercise due care and skill, and keep proper records, while Consumer Affairs Victoria publishes plain-English guidance on what an owners corporation manager is responsible for. Communication standards are about whether the manager gives the committee enough usable information, at the right time, to make lawful decisions. For a plain-English breakdown of what an owners corporation manager is accountable for versus the committee, and how the tier system changes the role, see our explainer.
Owners Corporation Manager Responsibilities Victoria: Duties You Can Hold Them To
Check the contract first, as management agreements often set out service commitments on response times, reporting and meeting attendance. Owners corporation manager responsibilities in Victoria are commonly grouped into governance support, financial administration, maintenance coordination and record-keeping. When a manager falls short, start with a written complaint naming the specific duty and failure, then escalate via the practical dispute resolution guide.
Owners Corporation Manager Response Times and Service Benchmarks
Not every shortfall is a breach; the standard is whether the manager communicated the delay and the reason. If your current manager’s communication falls short, you can contact TOCS about management for your building.
There is no single legislated response time, so benchmarks are best set in the management agreement, including a stated first-response period for routine matters, prompt acknowledgement of urgent safety issues, and a clear after-hours escalation path. Resolution time matters, not just first response. Our five steps to evaluate strata management service quality give you a concrete method for testing whether those commitments are actually met. Reviewing the manager against the contract in writing each year helps the committee judge service quality. If you are weighing up a change, our guide to choosing a strata manager in Victoria sets out what to compare before you switch.
| What to compare | What a good answer looks like | The question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Written fee schedule | Itemised, with no undisclosed extras | “Can you show every charge in writing before we sign?” |
| Notice and termination terms | Clear notice period, no penalty for leaving | “How much notice do we give, and what does it cost to end the agreement?” |
| Records handover | Complete file transferred on exit | “What exactly do we receive when the contract ends, and when?” |
| Response commitments | Stated first-response and resolution targets | “What are your response times, and how do you report against them?” |
| After-hours cover | Named process for emergencies | “Who do we call at night, and how quickly do they respond?” |
| In-house versus outsourced | Clear statement of what is done in-house | “Which services are handled by your team and which are subcontracted?” |
How to Choose Between Them
Run these checks before you commit to any manager.
- Ask for the fee schedule in writing and compare line by line, not on the headline figure.
- Ask what happens when a job stalls. A good manager names the escalation step and the person accountable.
- Request a sample monthly report. If you cannot understand it in five minutes, owners will not either.
- Ask how records are handed over at the end of a contract, and in what format.
- Check the after-hours process and test it once before you sign.
Committees that set clear communication expectations in writing, and review them once a year, get better service than committees that complain only when something breaks. Top Owners Corporation Solutions can discuss how communication expectations are set out in a management agreement, and you can request a proposal to see the fee and service terms in writing. Request a proposal from Top Owners Corporation Solutions to discuss your committee’s communication needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What communication is an owners corporation manager required to provide?
Owners corporation managers’ communication duties are set out in the Owners Corporations Act 2006 (Vic) and should be checked against the official legislation. A clear strata manager communication standard should set out what is sent, to whom, and how often, so the committee can check compliance rather than rely on memory.
How quickly should an owners corporation manager respond to emails?
There is no single legislated response time, but committees can set service benchmarks in the management contract. Response times should be written into the management agreement and reviewed regularly so both sides know what is expected.
How can an owners corporation set communication standards with its manager?
Start by setting out channels, response times, record-keeping and escalation in writing, and attach these expectations to the management contract. Review performance against them regularly and document any failures in writing. This approach turns vague expectations into measurable owners corporation committee communication best practices.
